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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 Nov 10;50(6):2063-2078.
doi: 10.1093/ageing/afab130.

An intervention to increase physical activity in care home residents: results of a cluster-randomised, controlled feasibility trial (the REACH trial)

Anne Forster  1   2 , Jennifer Airlie  1 , Alison Ellwood  3 , Mary Godfrey  1   2 , John Green  1 , Bonnie Cundill  4 , Bryony Dawkins  5 , Nicola McMaster  6 , Claire Hulme  7 , Robert Cicero  4 , Vicki McLellan  4 , Liz Graham  1 , Bev Gallagher  8 , David R Ellard  9 , Joan Firth  10 , Amanda Farrin  4 ; REACH Programme Team
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

An intervention to increase physical activity in care home residents: results of a cluster-randomised, controlled feasibility trial (the REACH trial)

Anne Forster et al. Age Ageing. .

Abstract

Background: Care home (CH) residents are mainly inactive, leading to increased dependency and low mood. Strategies to improve activity are required.

Design and setting: Cluster randomised controlled feasibility trial with embedded process and health economic evaluations. Twelve residential CHs in Yorkshire, United Kingdom, were randomised to the MoveMore intervention plus usual care (UC) (n = 5) or UC only (n = 7).

Participants: Permanent residents aged ≥65 years.

Intervention: MoveMore: a whole home intervention involving all CH staff designed to encourage and support increase in movement of residents.

Objectives and measurements: Feasibility objectives relating to recruitment, intervention delivery, data collection and follow-up and safety concerns informed the feasibility of progression to a definitive trial. Data collection at baseline, 3, 6 and 9 months included: participants' physical function and mobility, perceived health, mood, quality of life, cognitive impairment questionnaires; accelerometry; safety data; intervention implementation.

Results: 300 residents were screened; 153 were registered (62 MoveMore; 91 UC). Average cluster size: MoveMore: 12.4 CHs; UC: 13.0 CHs. There were no CH/resident withdrawals. Forty (26.1%) participants were unavailable for follow-up: 28 died (12 MoveMore; 16 UC); 12 moved from the CH. Staff informant/proxy data collection for participants was >80%; data collection from participants was <75%; at 9 months, 65.6% of residents provided valid accelerometer data; two CHs fully, two partially and one failed to implement the intervention. There were no safety concerns.

Conclusions: Recruiting CHs and residents was feasible. Intervention implementation and data collection methods need refinement before a definitive trial. There were no safety concerns.

Keywords: cluster randomised feasibility trial; long-term care; older people; physical activity; staff training.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
CH and resident screening, recruitment and follow-up.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Laing Buisson Care homes for older people Market Report. London: LaingBuisson July 2018.
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    1. Barber SE, Forster A, Birch KM. Levels and patterns of daily physical activity and sedentary behavior measured objectively in older care home residents in the United Kingdom. J Aging Phys Act 2015; 23: 133–43. - PubMed
    1. UK Chief Medical Officers’ Physical Activity Guidelines. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-... (Sept 2019). (accessed 4 June 2021).
    1. de Rezende LF, Rey-López JP, Matsudo VKR, do Carmo Luiz O. Sedentary behavior and health outcomes among older adults: a systematic review. BMC Public Health 2014; 14: 333. - PMC - PubMed

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